ABOUT GERARD J. HANNAN

Gerard J. Hannan is a Limerick historian, author and former journalist and broadcaster whose work is rooted in the people, places and lived experience of Limerick city and county.

Across journalism, broadcasting, historical research and book publishing, he has spent more than twenty years recording local stories, examining public events and preserving material that might otherwise be forgotten.

His writing combines historical research with a strong interest in ordinary lives, family memory, community identity and the social changes that shaped twentieth-century Limerick and Ireland.

Limerick Roots

Born in Limerick in 1959, Gerard J. Hannan developed an enduring interest in the city’s streets, neighbourhoods, institutions, personalities and working communities.

That local knowledge became central to his later work as a journalist, broadcaster and historian. Rather than treating history as something distant or abstract, he approaches it through the places people knew, the jobs they performed, the families they raised and the events they witnessed.

His work seeks to ensure that Limerick’s past is preserved not only through major political events, but also through the everyday experiences that gave the city and county their character.

Journalism and Broadcasting

Gerard has worked in Limerick journalism and broadcasting for fifty years, covering local affairs, public debate, community life and the stories of people whose experiences rarely received sustained attention.

His media career developed the skills that continue to shape his historical work: careful research, clear explanation, respect for evidence and an ability to connect wider events with their local consequences.

The habits of listening, questioning and recording remain central to his work with photographs, personal memories, newspaper archives and local historical sources.

Education

After leaving school at fourteen, Gerard returned to formal education at the age of fifty and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Media at Mary Immaculate College.

He later earned a Master of Business Studies degree in International Entrepreneurship Management from the University of Limerick’s Kemmy Business School and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

This return to education strengthened his historical research, academic writing and publishing work while reinforcing his belief that learning should remain open and accessible throughout life.

Author and Historian

Gerard J. Hannan writes historical and fictional works centred on Limerick, Ireland, family experience, political conflict, poverty, memory and social change.

His current books include the ten-volume Limerick Generations series, covering Limerick city and county from 1900 to 1999; the Ashes Trilogy, comprising Ashes, Gurriers and Scattered; the Troubles Trilogy, comprising Threshold, Hunger and Crossing; and the novel Severance.

His writing aims to make history readable, humane and locally grounded, giving equal attention to major public events and the private lives shaped by them.

Founder of Limerick Archives

Gerard founded Limerick Archives as a free digital history project dedicated to preserving and sharing the social, cultural and photographic history of Limerick city and county.

The archive contains more than 20,000 photographs relating to twentieth-century Limerick, including many images that have never previously been published.

Through historical articles, photographic collections, biographies, newspaper research and public contributions, the project seeks to create a permanent and freely accessible record of Limerick life.

Limerick Generations

Limerick Generations is a ten-volume history of Limerick city and county covering every decade from 1900 to 1999.

Each volume combines detailed historical research with an extensive photographic record, examining politics, work, poverty, education, housing, religion, sport, entertainment, family life, conflict and community development.

The series forms part of a wider ambition to publish approximately one hundred illustrated books preserving Limerick’s history for future generations.

Historical Approach

Gerard’s historical writing places local experience before abstraction. National and international events are examined through their effect on Limerick homes, workplaces, schools, farms, streets and institutions.

He gives particular attention to ordinary people whose lives may be absent from traditional accounts, using photographs, newspapers, official records, published histories and personal recollections to recover a fuller picture of the past.

His aim is to preserve evidence carefully while presenting history in language that remains accessible to general readers, families, students and researchers.

A Commitment to Public History

At the centre of Gerard’s work is the belief that local history should remain available to the people whose families and communities created it.

Limerick Archives therefore invites the public to contribute photographs, memories, identifications, corrections and documents. Every reliable detail can help complete the record of a person, place or event.

By combining professional research with community knowledge, Gerard continues to build an archive intended to serve present readers and future generations.

Current Books by Gerard J. Hannan

Gerard J. Hannan’s current books include historical works and novels centred on Limerick, Ireland, family experience, political conflict, poverty, memory and social change. Each title below links directly to its dedicated page on Limerick Archives.

ABOUT GERARD J. HANNAN